Centre News Innovative event with PayFair at UIMCPayFair and Unisys have been working together to develop and implement the new pan-European SEPA compliant card scheme. After 5 months system integration and development the time was there to present the PayFair scheme to a wider audience. UIMC was selected as the ideal venue for the first PayFair Card Conference which took place on the 29-30 April 2009. The event was chaired by Dominique Buysschaert, CEO PayFair and attracted 50 senior executives from European retailers, governing bodies and financial institutions. Presentations and panel discussions from expert speakers on this new European Scheme PayFair were part of the program and included representatives from the European Commission, the European Central Bank, the European Payment Council, Euro Commerce, European Consumer Association, as well as large retailers, large banks, and major payment service providers. Unisys was represented by Rein Geerdes, Director Business Development Payment Solution and Services. Rein Geerdes delivered a presentation with Mike Ashton, CEO of Distra and Grant Halverson, CEO of GFG Group, the partners in the realization and implementation of the PayFair scheme. The official inauguration, highlighted by the first PayFair transactions, took place after a gala dinner.All participants were very positive about this joint Unisys-PayFair event and welcomed the new scheme for the European market, because it will deliver a win-win-win situation for the stakeholders in card and payment processing: lower transaction cost for the consumer and retailer, strongly reduced cost of cash related and new value added services for banks. Dominique Buysschaert stated:”this event coincides with an important milestone for PayFair: an up and running proof of concept. Before starting the pilot, it was important to share this important achievement with our partners Unisys, Distra and GFG, but also with different stakeholders, and take this opportunity to exchange views on the latest developments in card payments, where the arrival of the PayFair alternative constitutes a major change and great opportunity for all concerned parties: consumers, retailers and banks.” Quote from Rein Geerdes “it is important to build up relationship and loyalty with our partners and customers, and UIMC was the ideal venue to achieve this after the months of hard work with PayFair, Distra and GFG. It was also an opportunity for all parties to exchange ideas in a neutral and convivial environment” Saint-Paul-de-Vence, 20 May 2009 |
